


Swift Paws

by dogjokes



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Backstory, Character Death, Family Issues, Gen, Not Beta Read, so half-AU?, swiftpaw is an emo boy, tigerstar is his dad in this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:00:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27012400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dogjokes/pseuds/dogjokes
Summary: His father was one of the bravest, most unbeatable cats he knew.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> okay yes i know i have another fic with the applereed kits and i am working on that, believe it or not. but that swiftpaw amv by nekovocalnote dropped like a week back and i just Know i had to write something brief with swiftpaw. i must.
> 
> tw in this chapter for kitten death, it's not too explicit but yeah, poor lynxkit ):

There was a harsh pushing against his flank; Swiftkit awoke as the warm shield of his mother’s tail uncoiled from his tiny body, and he slid ungraciously to his back. He could hear hushed but quick muttering, bouncing frantically from the dark walls of the nursery, and he readied his jaws to protest to this abrupt awakening. And then he caught sight of Goldenflower’s eyes in the dark; the round, enigmatic gaze of his mother piercing holes into him. 

It was difficult to describe the look in her eyes; Swiftkit remembered the wall-eyed stare of a vole that was slightly akin to it, but it struck something heavy inside him and his throat grew taut. “Please go back to sleep,” breathed Goldenflower, her voice begging. Swiftkit noticed something in her mouth, he could not make out what it was, but all of a sudden he was made aware of the lack of a certain something in the nest with him. 

He feverishly searched the moss around him. “Where’s Lynxkit?” he asked, trying to glimpse the tortoiseshell pelt of his littermate. 

Goldenflower did not respond; instead a honey-sweet scent drenched Swiftkit like a deluge. He saw a dappled shape moving in the dark in front of him, but it was not Lynxkit. “Hush, small one.” He recognised Spottedleaf’s voice. The medicine cat ducked down to sink her teeth into his scruff and lift him in the air. “Lay down with Speckletail for tonight.”

Swiftkit twisted and flailed as Spottedleaf carried him across the den, feeling like he could burst with longing for his mother and lost littermate. “Where’s Lynxkit?” he repeated, shouting now. He noticed Speckletail’s wide amber gaze and frustration clawed at him. _Why’s everyone awake? It’s night time_!

The medicine cat said no more as she gently dropped Swiftkit next to his grandmother, turning back to attend to Goldenflower as more hurried and anxious murmuring was shared between them. A pale striped tail spun around Swiftkit just as he was about to bound after them, and Speckletail’s gravelly mew was pressed to his ear. “Stay here.”

“No! What’s happening?” Swiftkit clambered on Speckletail’s side to peer up and catch his mother’s eyes. He could just make out her burly shape next to Spottedleaf’s slender form, but within a heartbeat he was dragged back down again, with Speckletail pressing him quite forcefully against her flank. 

“You have to stay here.” Her eyes were fixed firmly on him. Swiftkit felt like he was being scolded. “We will explain it later, but please keep still.” 

"Where's Lynxkit-" 

"You have to be a brave boy for now." Speckletail's eyes became a little more gentle, still with that firm hiss that kept him quiet. "Please, Swiftkit. Do it for Goldenflower." 

Many unanswered questions swam through Swiftkit's mind like an erratic school of minnows, but then he recalled the look in his mother's eyes. He didn't like that look, and he didn't like that Goldenflower had that look. 

His heart pounded haphazardly, but he slumped against his grandmother's shoulder and stared ahead of the nursery, watching with stinging eyes as Spottedleaf herded Goldenflower outside, more hushed words between them. "Okay," he mewed. "I will." 

* * *

"Do you want to come see Lynxkit?" Goldenflower asked him quietly.

Swiftkit lifted his head from between his paws. Light rain pelted the brambles outside. "You said she's gone to StarClan," he muttered. 

His mother gave a stiff nod. "You can look at her one last time before she's-" A hard swallow. "Before the Clan takes her away." 

"Okay." Swiftkit followed her outside the nursery, skirting through paw-sized puddles as they headed for Spottedleaf's den. He could feel several eyes on him; he paused in the centre of camp to meet eyes with Longpaw. The tabby apprentice had curiosity and sympathy glittering in his gaze. 

"Come along, sweetheart." Goldenflower gently nudged him with her tail, and he hastily turned around and padded by her heel. 

The acrid pungence of the medicine den made Swiftkit's nose wrinkle. He hated the smell of herbs, and he would smell them all the time back when Lynxkit would have her coughing fits. 

He was carefully led to a small nest at the corner of the den where Spottedleaf was sat. The medicine cat smiled softly at him. "StarClan will look after her," she whispered, whisking back her tail to reveal a small shape resting in the moss. 

Swiftkit craned his neck. Lynxkit was curled up like she was sleeping, only she was very, very still. Her cold, patchy coat was dusted with something purple and sweet-smelling, akin to the usual scent Spottedleaf carried. He flicked an ear. "Is she going to come back?" he asked. 

"No, darling." Goldenflower rested her chin between his ears. "She's somewhere very far away now." 

"I can talk to her when I next visit StarClan," added Spottedleaf.

"Will she never get to be an apprentice?" Swiftkit's heart dropped at the thought. "Or a warrior?" 

Goldenflower and Spottedleaf exchanged a glance for a moment. "She can be whatever she wants in StarClan," Spottedleaf replied. "If she wants a warrior name, they can give her one." 

"What will it be?" 

"I don't know. Only she can decide that." 

A tongue rasped above his eyes. "You want to sit with her for a bit longer?" Goldenflower mewed in his ear. 

Swiftkit stared at his resting sister, unnerved by how still she was. He was used to her bouncing from the nursery's walls and swiping at him with her claws, pretending she was a ShadowClan warrior. "I want to go back to the nursery," he chirped sheepishly. 

"Of course." Goldenflower began guiding him to the den's entrance, glancing behind her shoulder and giving a nod to Spottedleaf as they padded outside. 

Swiftkit spent all day wondering why the nursery was so quiet.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> felt inspiration to work on this again lolol
> 
> i like to imagine that tigerclaw probably would have been a decent dad if he wasn't too busy being evil. he takes pride in his bloodline!

"Swiftkit, dear," Goldenflower began carefully. Her thick tail swept around him. "Do you want to go outside? It's a lovely day." 

He blinked his eyes open and stared at the fronds beyond his mother's shoulder, squinting at the glaring sunlight that pierced him like talons. He could hear the clutter of small activity if he perked his ears, but he closed his eyes again. "No." 

Goldenflower huffed softly and gave him a gentle nudge. "Come now, you can't stay inside all day." 

He wished Lynxkit were here. She had all the fun games; and she always let him be the Clan leader whenever they played Warriors. 

"I'm sure your auntie Frostfur's kits wouldn't mind you playing with them if you asked nicely," Goldenflower went on. 

Swiftkit's eyes opened again in a sliver. "They don't like me."

"Don't say that." 

"But they do." Swiftkit stretched his fore limbs out. "I made Brackenkit cry yesterday." 

"Because you trode on his tail, darling." 

"'Not my fault he was in the way." 

She huffed again, as though in defeat, until she craned at the swish-swish of the bramble fronds, which parted as a giant tabby tom marched inside with a vole hanging from his jaws. Swiftkit hid his face in the moss as he saw the tabby too; he could imagine his father Tigerclaw billowing him tart words of _respect_ as he would lecture him. 

"Oh, thank StarClan," Goldenflower muttered as Tigerclaw dropped the vole next to her. There was a warm glint in the dark tabby's eyes as he bumped his head against hers. 

"How are we this morning?" he purred. At Goldenflower's gesture he glanced down at the nest. "What's troubling you, my boy?" 

Swiftkit continued avoiding his gaze. Goldenflower sighed. "He refuses to go outside. He says his denmates don't like him." 

"Well, that's foolish." Tigerclaw sat down beside him. "A wise cat once told me that a good warrior learns from his Clanmates. What good will you have sitting in your nest all day, ignoring the world?" 

Swiftkit felt hot with frustration. He was going to be a good warrior. He just wished Lynxkit could get to be one with him. It wasn't fair. 

"However." He looked up as Tigerclaw drew his head back. "Sometimes you have to tackle things much bigger than you are, which is why you shouldn't always rely on your denmates." 

At that he dropped to a crouch, his form raking the narrow walls of the nursery as his pelt bushed up. "Why don't you show me what you have, then?" he hissed, eyes glinting with challenge. "You can't tread on _my_ tail." 

Swiftkit blinked up at his father, stiff with uncertainty until he brought out a paw and lashed it across his broad muzzle, which Tigerclaw was quick to dodge. His ears brushed against the roof. "Oh, you can do better than that!" He lifted his own paw and swept it down, slow enough for Swiftkit to dodge as he darted to the edge of the nest. "I bet you can't reach my muzzle!"

"I will!" Swiftkit squawked out, pressing down to jab at Tigerclaw's whiskers, purring as Tigerclaw drew back to feign pain. He saw the many scars that littered his father's pelt, each one telling a story of a mangy RiverClan cat he had driven from Sunningrocks, and yet Swiftkit would feel victorious whenever they played. Will I get scars like that too?

He fell back with a squeal as Tigerclaw pinned him on his back with his soft paws, tail arching over his colossal body. "And it looks like I caught my prey!" his father declared. "Fresh-kill for the Clan!" 

"No!" Swiftkit laughed, battering at his chest. 

"Boys! Boys!" Goldenflower's amused yowl rang out among the raucous shuffling. She had her tail wrapped around the vole. "Not inside! Tigerclaw, you'll break the whole den down, you mousebrain!" 

"Hrm. Very well." Tigerclaw sat up and dusted his pelt. "We will continue this outside." He winked at Swiftkit's way. "If you can beat me there." 

Swiftkit jumped up with a squeal, pushing past his mother as he raced Tigerclaw through the entrance. A large cloud of dust was left in their wake, and Goldenflower coughed for a moment. Her eyes glittered and a satisfied purr rattled through her throat. 

Then small pawsteps sounded behind her, and Goldenflower didn't need to look back to notice Frostfur approaching. The small white molly pressed against her flank as she sat by the entrance with her. "What was all that racket?" she asked, voice thick with sleep. 

Goldenflower pointed her tail outside where Tigerclaw and Swiftkit were tumbling all over each other. "Swiftkit has his spirit back," she purred. 

"Oh, at last. The poor mite was suffering quite a bit." Frostfur glanced up and nudged her gently. "And how are you then, dear?" 

"I'm getting there." Goldenflower sighed. "I know he misses Lynxkit, and I wish I could bring her back. The nursery has been so quiet without her." 

Frostfur nodded, sullen. "It must be hard raising a single kit who doesn't understand why their littermate isn't coming back. I can see it being lonely, for both of you." 

"Tigerclaw's keeping him busy; he knows what it's like." Goldenflower twitched an ear. "Oh, speaking of which, Tigerclaw and I have been talking… about possibly having another litter." 

Frostfur grew silent for a few heartbeats, her gaze unreadable. Her pelt glared silver in the sunlight. "If that's what the two of you want," she meowed. "Swiftkit would be long out the nursery by the time it happens, though." 

"I know." Goldenflower watched the pair of them tussle; Swiftkit was barely shy from Tigerclaw's shoulders. Only two moons away. "We just think… it might be worth trying again, and Swiftkit… he could be a role model. He could have something to fight for." 

"Perhaps. Yes." Frostfur bent down to groom her tail, only to pause with her tongue halfway out. "Actually, you know what… I've been thinking too." 

Goldenflower turned to her. "About what?" 

"Well, Swiftkit is struggling to get along with his denmates, as we all know. But one of mine, Brightkit; she's a shy little thing and doesn't like all the rough-and-tumble games from the others; stays away most of the time. So maybe we can try… setting them up, like a playdate." 

There was some stillness in the warm air as Goldenflower paused to think, only briefly looking up as Swiftkit loudly exclaimed from outside. Her amber gaze softened. "Will that be a good idea?" she asked. "Swiftkit is getting big, and I can see Brightkit being a little overwhelmed by him. He could easily walk all over her." 

"You have a point," Frostfur said, shoulders drooping.

Goldenflower flicked her tail. "But I think it's worth trying out anyway, if we keep a close eye on them. It could help Swiftkit to have some one-on-one interaction, since there's so many of your lot." 

Frostfur purred in amusement. "Not even Lionheart could keep up with all of them. Some fearsome warrior your brother is." 

The queens laughed amongst themselves, whiskers twitching and pelts glimmering as the sun lifted higher in the cloudless sky. Swiftkit ducked his head from the thick of Tigerclaw's belly fur, blinking with intrigue at the mouth of the nursery as he spotted his mother sharing her vole with Frostfur, heads close together as though deep in discussion. His ears swivelled.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sometimes i forget swiftpaw and brightheart were cousins. i mean these days in wc everybody is but you know. adds something more to whatever relationship they had
> 
> sorry if this chapter ends a bit abruptly, for whatever reason i was stuck on it for like weeks and i just wanted it over with aha

"The most important thing to know," Longpaw said, "is that all the Clans have different tricks of their own, just like we do. So we have to learn what they are, so we can learn how to tackle them."

Swiftkit nodded, resuming his crouch, and he imagined being surrounded by a platoon of ferocious cats, slick with blood and water, reeking of fish scales. His claws itched to fight the nonexistent cats. “So, what if it’s RiverClan?” he asked.

Longpaw paced around him, frowning as though deep in thought. Swiftkit beamed; it was like being examined by an actual warrior, with Longpaw only a moon shy of receiving his warrior name, as he was so told. Swiftkit felt so much better with the big cats, rather than in the nursery, where the only cats bigger than him were Lionheart or Tigerclaw whenever they visited. 

“Darkstripe told me RiverClan cats like to puff themselves like pine cones to appear bigger,” meowed Longpaw. “So you could try doing that.” 

As Swiftkit did so, bunching his shoulders so his pelt could bristle out further, he glanced upwards for Longpaw’s approval, although the apprentice was twitching his whiskers as though holding in laughter. He forced his pelt flat. “What’s so funny?” he hissed, feeling his belly boil with embarrassment. 

“I just always thought it looked ridiculous,” Longpaw purred. “Especially with a cat as small as you.”

Swiftkit wrinkled his nose. “I’m not that smaller than you!” he argued. 

“I know. It was just a joke.” Longpaw sat down, and Swiftkit did too. He was still steaming, but he could not let his pride fall in front of Longpaw. _He will tell the others how much of a wimp I am_!

“Why does RiverClan do that anyway?” Swiftkit meowed after some silence. “Puff themselves up, I mean.”

Longpaw shrugged. “I don’t know. They should rename themselves so it fits.”

“PineconeClan!”

“FuzzyClan.”

They shared a light chuckle, and Swiftkit felt good about himself again. But right as he was about to make conversation, a loud shout rang across the camp. "Swiftkit!" came his mother's yowl. 

Swiftkit turned around and yowled back, "Yeah?" 

No response. Swiftkit called out louder, " _Yeah_?" again with no response. He sighed. 

Longpaw gave him a nudge, the tail he was named after swishing around his paws. “You should get back,” he said. “Or you’ll get an earful. Robinwing hated having to call me over.” 

“Okay.” Swiftkit flicked his tail high in the air. “I’ll see you later.” 

He turned and bounded to the source of his mother’s yowl, her soft scent washing over him as he pushed himself through the brambles that guarded the entrance. He recalled the fern bush that was the apprentices’ den, and how it did not have annoying brambles that dragged as his flanks each time he would leave or come in. 

Swiftkit followed the amber glint of his mother’s eyes to her nest, and then noticed Frostfur sitting a few fox-lengths away, not in her own nest. “Swiftkit, come here.” Goldenflower beckoned him closer with her tail. “You know your little cousin Brightkit already, right? Frostfur and I have arranged a playdate for you two.” 

He tilted his head at the lump of fur hiding under Frostfur’s tail. He had not really spoken to Brightkit, as he did not see much reason to. She was always hiding away from her littermates, and he had feared tripping over her someday. 

“Why?” he asked curtly. Frostfur stiffened. 

“We figured you two might get along, as you’re always hiding away from the others,” Goldenflower replied. “So you might find a friend in her if you two try playing together.” 

Frostfur touched her nose between Brightkit’s ears and nudged her forward. “Go on, say hello.” 

Brightkit stepped forth but kept her eyes fixed on the ground. “Hi,” she mewed quietly. 

Swiftkit felt a nudge from Goldenflower: an encouragement to do the same. But why did he have to say hello to somebody he had already met? It wasn’t like they were strangers. He searched Brightkit’s face in attempts to meet her eyes, but she kept her gaze down. “What are you looking at?” he asked. 

“Huh?” Brightkit looked up, her eyes wide. 

“The ground. Why are you staring at it?”

“Um…” 

Goldenflower and Frostfur exchanged looks at one another before Goldenflower nudged him again. “Why don’t you play Warriors with her? You love that game, don’t you?” 

“Okay.” Swiftkit padded closer to Brightkit. “You want to be RiverClan, and I’ll be ThunderClan?” 

Brightkit sank further into the ground. More nothing from her. Swiftkit scrunched up his nose, itching with frustration. “Whatever,” he hissed. "Stupid mouse-brain." 

“Swiftkit!” Goldenflower gasped; he could sense her bristling behind him. "Apologise right now! There is no need for name calling!" 

He glowered but did as he was told, avoiding Brightkit's now saddened gaze. "Sorry," he scoffed. 

There was even more silence, with neither kit looking at one another. Goldenflower and Frostfur switched another look, a silent conversation between them, before they started to part away. Swiftkit quickly looked up at his mother, and her eyes hardened on him. "We will give you some time to yourselves," she said. 

Frostfur lapped at Brightkit's cheek. "You know where to find me," she whispered. And with Goldenflower, she edged to the further end of the den. The shadows could swallow them.

Swiftkit wanted to yowl in protest. This was ridiculous. He never wanted to talk to Brightkit, nor any of her mouse-hearted littermates, so why was Goldenflower making him do this? He felt more trapped than a cornered mouse. 

He looked at Brightkit, who had gone back to staring at the ground. His tail flicked impatiently. "So, what do you want to do?" 

"I don't know." Brightkit shuffled her paws. 

"How can you not know?" Swiftkit sighed. "What do you play with your littermates?" 

"I don't." 

"Nothing at all?" Swiftkit huffed and turned away. "That's mouse-brained. You're a mouse-brain." 

Brightkit lashed her tail. "No, I'm not." 

"Yes, you are." 

Agitation glimmered in her eyes. "I'm not." 

"You are." 

"Not." 

"Are."

"Not!" 

Hit with a sudden burst of energy, Swiftkit skirted sideways with a squeal, bowling over the nest and scampering to the entrance. Brightkit watched him with a tipped head. "What are you doing?" she asked. 

"Chase me!" Swiftkit exclaimed. "You're gonna chase me, right?" 

"I don't-"

"Come on! Can't catch me!" 

He turned around and bolted out the entrance, crashing into the sandy clearing with a thump. Brightkit leaped after him with, to his surprise, determination in her eyes. She pounced after him, Swiftkit narrowly dodging her each time, and he found himself impressed with her - preciseness and quickness: words as told to him by Longpaw. 

As he toppled around her, eyes following her ginger striped tail, he lunged out and tackled her into the sand. Brightkit reached out with her paws, grappling onto his chest. He could easily outweigh her, tower over her for as long as he wished, but he remembered how to act sensibly. So at her small shove, he allowed himself to be knocked to the side, with Brightkit now on top of him. And she was laughing, her eyes bright and playful. Swiftkit realised he was laughing too.

Before Swiftkit knew it, the sun was starting to dip behind the Highstones, painting the sky a soft pale orange. He had been outside all day, tumbling and getting under warriors' paws with Brightkit, and he actually enjoyed it. He didn't recall having this much fun since before Lynxkit had died. 

"I guess you're not a mouse-brain after all," said Swiftkit as they trotted back to the nursery. 

Brightkit shot him a mischievous glint. "Well, you're still a meanie after all." 

They were promptly greeted at the entrance. Frostfur's pelt had been neatly groomed. "There you two are," she meowed. She bent down to lap at Brightkit's tail. "Did it go okay? None of you got hurt?" 

"I had fun!" She jerked her head back at Brightkit's mewl, eyes wide with surprise. "Can I play with Swiftkit tomorrow? Please?" 

"Well!" Frostfur twitched her whiskers. "You'll have to see Goldenflower about that, but I don't see why not." She swept the both of them inside with her tail, nudging Swiftkit to the scent of his mother. "You go along now, Swiftkit." 

He bounced up to meet Brightkit's eyes. "See you later!" 

"Bye, bye!" she called out. And Swiftkit bounced away, feeling many moons younger.

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr @ dogrocks


End file.
